New Delhi, Dec 18 (NationPress) Despite public health initiatives that have successfully reduced the annual incidence of new HIV infections over the past decade, the alarming emergence of HIV among thalassaemic children in Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand underscores significant systemic failures in blood bank regulations that require urgent attention, according to health experts on Thursday.

In a disturbing incident, at least six children tested positive for HIV at the Satna district hospital, purportedly due to contaminated blood transfusions received during thalassaemia treatment.

The affected individuals include five boys under the age of 11 and a nine-year-old girl, all of whom have been undergoing blood transfusions at the hospital. Although the children were diagnosed between January and May 2025, this issue has only recently come to light.

This situation follows a similar case where six thalassaemic children in the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand reportedly contracted HIV from contaminated blood transfusions at a government facility in Chaibasa in November.

“The clustering of HIV infections in thalassaemic children may indicate systemic failures in blood bank regulation, screening, and monitoring,” stated Dr. Neeraj Nischal, Additional Professor in the Department of Medicine at AIIMS, Delhi, during an interview with IANS.

“To rectify this, strict enforcement of licensing requirements, mandatory NAT testing, regular audits, digital traceability of blood units, and clear accountability for violations are essential,” he emphasized.

Health Ministry data shows that from 2010 to 2024, India has achieved a 48.7% decrease in annual new HIV infections, an 81.4% drop in AIDS-related deaths, and a 74.6% reduction in mother-to-child HIV transmission.

Moreover, HIV testing surged from 4.13 crore (2020-21) to 6.62 crore (2024-25), while access to antiretroviral treatment expanded from 14.94 lakh to 18.60 lakh PLHIV. However, these two incidents expose serious systemic failures and administrative shortcomings within the blood banking system, experts argue.

“Through radical reform, leveraging the latest technology, and a sense of urgency, we can no longer tolerate being perceived as a gullible, impoverished nation; we are now the fourth-largest economy,” remarked Dr. Ishwar Gilada, President Emeritus of the AIDS Society of India, in an interview with IANS.

“If HIV screening tests in blood banks do not transition to NAAT-Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing, which shortens the window period from 90 days to just one week, we will continue to see instances of infection among children making headlines. The Health Ministry must act with utmost urgency,” he cautioned.

While current screening protocols render the risk of HIV transmission through blood transfusions and organ donations extremely low, estimated at less than one in a million transfusions, this risk increases significantly when donor screening is inadequate, testing is outdated, or regulatory oversight is weak. Adherence to mandatory testing, quality assurance, and traceable donor systems is crucial to prevent such avoidable transmissions. Universal testing, reduced window periods through advanced assays, and transparent donor registries are vital to avert transmission, emphasized Nischal during his interview with IANS.